The Reason
by AJzkitten69
Summary: Things go a little differently the night before the big battle, and it changes everything. Dean/Jo. Spoilers through Abandon All Hope.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any character from Supernatural, but if I did, Dean would never ever die. Or leave my bedroom. Also, this story has absolutely NOTHING to do with any song by Hoobastank, but if it did, I wouldn't own that either.

**Author's Note 1:** Dear writers of Supernatural,

You are not Joss Whedon. As such, you have no right to screw with me and my favorite couples this way. I mean, honestly, I forgave you for finally playing a song by my favorite band while having a heartbreaking moment and then killing a good character. I forgave you for that. But killing Jo right after she and Dean finally kiss? That is not and will never be okay. I am disappointed in you, you sadistic bastards. So please don't blame me for righting such an injustice.

Much love, and just a little bit of burning hatred,

Heather

**Author's Note 2:** This could be a oneshot. Or it could turn into a multi-chaptered fic in which I, as mentioned in the author's note above, right certain wrongs. As a fic writer, that is my favorite thing to do, after all. So if there's an interest, this _will _be expanded into a larger story. If not, it stops here, and since I never actually intended to write Supernatural fic anyway, I'll count it as an interesting adventure. Up to you!

The Reason

"Are you giving me the end of the world speech?" Jo asked. She sounded almost amused, but if he looked at her hand, he'd notice that she was nearly breaking the beer bottle she was holding. _Of course, _she thought. _Now he wants me. When he knows he'll never have to commit if we're all dead tomorrow._

"What? No." Dean laughed, charming to the core. "No. If I was, would that...would that work?" He had to admit, as far as pick up lines went, 'I'm going to die tomorrow and you could be my last good time' worked really well. But this was Jo. That had never been the plan with her.

She considered messing with him, but decided against it. He wouldn't hit on her without meaning it, so teasing him about it might not work out so well for her if they lived. So she kept it simple. "No."

_What? _As far as he knew, she'd always had a bit of a thing for him. Unless he was reading the signals wrong. "But I thought..."

"You thought right," she admitted, guessing the source of his confusion. "But in case you hadn't noticed, I'm not exactly the girl you can just have sex with and then sneak out on in the morning. Those other girls...they want you because you're sexy and charming and, just a guess here, really talented from all the experience. They don't really know a thing about you. So, if the day ever comes when you and I...it has to mean something. To both of us."

"It would," he told her. _"Of course _it would. Jo, I'm not hitting on you because I just want to get laid on my last night alive."

Jo looked surprised. "You're not? I mean, you don't?"

"What? Well, yeah, I do. But that's not why. It's because I don't want to die, uh, again, without ever having been with you." Dean hadn't been intending to admit that at first, but what was the harm? If there was ever a time to be warm and fuzzy, this was it.

"Another pick up line?" she asked.

He shook his head. "No. That's just honesty. Because I know you're not a girl I can happily part ways with in the morning, never to think of her again. That's why I haven't tried it before. Because I know that I'd have to leave in the morning. Or soon enough, anyway. This life...I can't settle down until I know there's nothing out there trying to end the world and skin me alive. Not necessarily in that order."

"So," Jo said, putting down the beer on the counter. "Let's go with more honesty here. If we were together tonight..." she trailed off, allowing him to finish the sentence.

"And we won tomorrow, I'd still have to leave a whole hell of a lot sooner than I'd like. Because I can't just sit at home and watch the demons destroy this world. But it could never be meaningless. Not with you. And if we died tomorrow, at least I wouldn't have to go knowing that I wasted my last chance."

Jo considered him for a long moment. He was right. She didn't want to go to her grave – or, more likely, her pyre - knowing that she had never been with the only man she'd ever _really _wanted. As much as she didn't want to have sex with him because they were all going to die, she knew that that wasn't her only reason, and apparently, it wasn't his either. But she had to be sure. "Dean, I need you to swear to me that, if we live through tomorrow, you're not going to treat me like one of your floozies and quit calling me back just because you got what you wanted. I understand that you can't stay, and I know I won't be the last girl you'll be with. Life on the road is hard; I know that just as well as you do. But I don't want to lose any chance we might have in the future just because the novelty is gone for you."

Dean looked into her eyes. "Jo. If you were just any other girl to me, we would have had sex years ago. And if this were just about getting laid my last night, I would have no problem going out tonight and finding other...company. But even if you turn me down, I'm not going to do that. I just want to make sure you understand that, while it will mean more to me than almost any other...encounter, I still can't stay in the morning. If we live."

She nodded. "I understand." She thought about it for another few seconds. "Let's go upstairs." She took his hand and started leading him to the stairs.

"Just what in the blue hell do you think you're doing?" Ellen asked loudly.

Jo blushed. "Dean and I were just going upstairs to...discuss strategy."

Sam snorted, but didn't comment.

Her mother shook her head. "Honey, if you're going to be doing what I know you're going to be doing, the least you can do is learn to lie better about it." She shifted her gaze to Dean, who was looking very uncomfortable. "You hurt my girl, you know I will have your delicate parts for my Christmas ornaments, right?"

Dean only barely managed to resist covering himself in defense. "Yes ma'am."

"Good. Long as that's clear." Ellen waved them away, and they ran upstairs before any of the others had time to make threats or talk them out of it.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** Still not mine.

**Author's Note:** Okay, so apparently there's definitely an audience for this kind of story. Thank you guys for all the wonderful feedback, and I beg of you to keep it coming so I know I'm not just writing for myself. Oh, and I'm trying to decide if I need to sacrifice someone we like to save Jo (I won't even pretend that's not the point of the story). What do you guys think? Want to keep it totally "Fix what they did wrong" or should I let it be a little darker? Something in between? Your input WILL help me decide where to take it.

The Reason

Chapter Two

In the morning, Bobby and Sam sat across from each other at the dining room table, very carefully not looking at each other. Sam slowly sipped his coffee while Bobby read the newspaper. They didn't talk. The silence was only broken by the crinkling of the paper as the page was turned.

A loud crash from upstairs, followed by Dean's deep laughter and Jo's giggling, made Bobby flinch. "If you two lovebirds damaged anything up there, Lucifer will be the least of your problems!" he yelled. There was a moment of silence, then another explosion of laughter from the lovers. Bobby shook his head. "I can't believe they had sex."

Sam dropped his head to the table. They hadn't been talking for this exact reason. They wouldn't have to avoid talking about the elephant in the room if they didn't speak at all. But now the conversation had been opened, so he had to respond. "I'm glad they did," he said, his words coming out somewhat muffled, since he was talking into the table. "Dean's off his game if he's celibate for too long."

"But did they have to be so...loud? You know, some people tend to be off their game if they can't sleep because they've got loud sex going on in the next room."

Sam sat up, his face serious. "Oh, come on, Bobby. We're going up against the devil today. You really think any of us would have been able to sleep?" he asked.

Bobby shrugged. "Fair point, I guess. But I'm just saying that I have never been closer to stabbing a couple of knitting needles into my ears."

Ellen entered the kitchen and made a beeline for the pot of coffee. "Boys, I am trying my very hardest to block out every detail of the last nine hours, and you talking about it is not helping my cause any. So unless you want me to disembowel Dean Winchester the second he comes down those stairs for violating my baby girl, I suggest you shut your traps."

Bobby went back to his newspaper, and Sam went back to his coffee, both without any further comment.

Until Castiel walked in five minutes later. "Does anyone else find it discouraging that Dean and Jo chose to prepare to fight the source of all sin by indulging in their carnal desires?"

Ellen choked on her coffee. Bobby tightened his fists so hard he ripped his newspaper, and Sam couldn't hold back his laugh. He was so glad that he wasn't the only one who had to be subjected to Dean's antics.

Castiel took their various reactions as humor, and asked, "Why am I the only one who doesn't find amusement in that?"

"I don't know," Dean said, finally entering the room, with Jo coming down the stairs right behind him. Every other pair of eyes zeroed in on their linked hands. "Maybe it's because the big guy upstairs never thought a sense of humor was an important trait. Except for that bastard Gabriel. Now there's a fun guy."

Jo smacked him lightly on the shoulder, then went to get her coffee. "Be nice, Dean. Cas is definitely more fun than any other angel I've met."

"We haven't met any other angels, honey," Ellen reminded her.

"Yeah, well, I've heard stories," she replied, pouring another cup. She looked back at Dean. "You still take it black?"

He smiled. "You know it, baby."

Sam downed the rest of his coffee in one large gulp and went to drop his cup in the sink. "That's it. The flirting and the hand-holding and the...the baby...." He turned his best puppy dog expression on Ellen. "Can I ride with you?"

"No need. Jo rides with me, and then I don't have to worry about what they're doing, and you won't have to watch," Ellen replied.

"Yeah, but then I'll give you details," Jo said simply. She pulled the bagels down from the top of the fridge and popped two in the toaster. "Tons of details," she added, seeing the hesitance on her mother's face. "About how I've never experienced such an amazing..."

"You're riding with Dean!" Ellen nearly yelled, cutting off the end of Jo's sentence. She knew it couldn't lead to anywhere good. In truth, she was torn. She wanted her daughter with her, in case today was the day they died. But if they didn't, she knew Jo wanted every possible second with Dean before they had to go their separate ways. In the end, her decision was based on her need to be optimistic, rather than the threat of hearing about the previous night. "But stop cooking for him!"

Jo rolled her eyes and handed Dean his coffee. "Come on, mom. It's not like he's some he-man who ordered me into the kitchen so I could slave over a hot stove all day and be his little kept woman. It's just easier for me to cook, and I kind of like not having the kitchen lit on fire by one of his attempts at edible food."

"Seconded," Bobby grunted from the table.

"Thanks for all the confidence, guys," Dean said, going to the toaster oven just in time for it to buzz. "Well, I think I can handle the cream cheese portion of this meal, so at least I'll be contributing." He grabbed the cream cheese from the fridge and went to work on the two bagels. When he finished, he gave Jo her bagel. "Look at that. He-man's not completely useless in a kitchen."

"Thanks." Jo smiled at him. Dean kissed her, and she felt it all the way down to her toes.

Despite the agreement they made the night before, for their one night to only be exactly that, for now, they both found themselves unable to keep from showing their affection. Even though they knew it drove all of the people around them crazy, it seemed unnatural to hide their connection. So they didn't.

"Great. I'm gonna be sick," Bobby said, rolling his wheelchair into their circle. "You crazy kids mind taking this show on the road, or would you rather step up the PDA until I vomit all over your shoes?"

"Bobby is right," Castiel agreed. "We have a suicide mission to complete, and there's no sense in delaying any further."

Ellen glared. "Always so positive. But it is time we hit the road."

"But I haven't finished my breakfast yet." Dean attempted the kicked puppy look that Sam had perfected and failed miserably. "Five more minutes?"

"Get it to go," Bobby grunted. "Paper cups on top of the microwave, and it's not like you're trying to eat cereal. And get your head in the game, boy!"

Dean continued to grumble, but transferred his coffee and Jo's into paper cups, then added lids. Five minutes later, the two cars were speeding down the highway towards Carthage.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: **Still not mine.

**Author's Note: **Okay, so I'm marathoning the Supernatural seasons like you would not believe, just trying to make sure I know the mythology of the show well enough to write it. I mean, if you're going to write fanfic, might as well do it well, right? But I've only rewatched through most of the second season, so I'm hoping I didn't screw up anything that any good die hard Supernatural fan will catch. If I do, definitely let me know and I will find a way to fix it.

The Reason

Chapter Three

Just after the speedometer in Dean's car edged past 90 miles per hour, Jo asked, "Have you ever been in love?"

The car swerved dangerously, and his face immediately looked like it might if he'd been trapped in a cage that was being lowered into a vat of acid.

"Relax!" Jo laughed. "I'm not asking if you're in love with me. That would kind of kill that agreement we made last night, huh? It's just...there's all this stuff I always wanted to ask you. But I never get the chance because we're always fighting for our lives, and then you're gone on to the next job."

He relaxed...a little, and took a moment to steel himself for any more questions out of left field. The last thing he needed now was to crash his car.

"Yes," Dean finally answered, then he chuckled bitterly. "You know, I almost said no just now. For a second, I couldn't remember. It's been so long."

Jo was confused. "If she wasn't special enough to remember, how come it's been so long? Life on the road?"

He looked at her for a moment, then back to the highway. He wanted so desperately to really study her for a few minutes, but driving demanded at least a little of his attention. It was so strange to be talking to someone who didn't already know his entire history. He'd almost forgotten what that was like. "No, it's...I was in hell for four months. And four months here is about forty years there. So, yeah, I was in love once. Maybe five years ago. But it feels like it was forty five. But even thinking about it like that just makes me feel so exhausted."

She didn't know what to say. How could she respond to that? She decided on humor. Humor in the face of overwhelming odds and likely death. Wasn't that their way? She was sure it had to be somewhere in the Winchester Rule Book. "Wow. So in your soul, you're really, really old. Like...seventy. Does that officially make you a dirty old man?" She put her hand over his just to make sure he knew she wasn't making light of his pain. She just knew that, if there was ever a good time to talk about his stay in hell, it _wasn't_ when they were on their way to kill the devil.

Dean smiled. "Well, if I am, you're the one who just had sex with the dirty old man. Really, what does that say about _you?"_

"Hm...that I enjoy antiquity? Anyway, you're well preserved. Except for those few gray hairs..."

His eyes widened and he immediately moved the rearview mirror to check for grays. When he saw only his normal shade of brown and Jo started laughing, he glared back at her. "So not funny."

"It was a little funny. If I did it to someone else, you'd be laughing."

Dean grumbled a few choice words to himself, but he didn't object when Jo kissed his cheek. "Sorry," she whispered. "But I'd rather think of you growing old and grumpy than being tortured in hell for forty years without aging."

He slowed the car down, then pulled over onto the side of the road. The other car was at least a few minutes behind them. He kissed her softly once, and again. Then he rested his forehead against hers, his hand tangled in her long blond hair. Jo pulled his other hand to her chest and held it with both of hers. They were silent for a few moments, before Dean finally said, "There's so much I want to tell you, Jo. And maybe even more I want you to never know about me." He sighed. "I wish we hadn't waited so long."

"Me too," she agreed. "But hey, if we miraculously survive...maybe you'll stay a couple days? Rest up a little before...whatever's next."

Dean couldn't answer. He wanted to so badly it almost hurt. But he didn't want to make a promise he wasn't sure he'd be able to keep. He wanted to be with her, alright, but for all he knew, the next job would call him away before he'd even had a decent night's sleep.

"I'm not asking you to stay forever, Dean," Jo clarified. She had mistaken his silence for a fear of commitment. "I'm just saying that killing Lucifer deserves at least a few days off."

"I'm so tired," he admitted. From the way he said it, she could tell he wasn't just talking about a few nights without sleep. "So yeah, I could use a couple days. Or months. But we'll see what happens."

He looked at her for a few seconds, then he shook his head and pulled back onto the road.

* * *

They slowed down a few miles before they reached Carthage to give Ellen's car the time to catch up. Then, once they were within the town limits, they moved to the side to allow her to pull the car up so they could talk through their open windows.

"Looks like a ghost town to me," Sam said, glancing at the empty streets.

Dean was less than pleased with the way that sounded. "Why would you even suggest that? Seriously, our line of work? Why would you even think of mentioning a ghost town? Like we don't have enough problems."

"Yeah...I guess it would be way too optimistic to think that everybody who lived here just sensed serious evil on the way and decided to split," Jo said.

"Well, we'll check if the cops are still in town. Even if they're not, maybe they've got records of what went down here before everybody went all Claude Rains. You three wanna stay here and see if anyone's still around?" Dean asked.

"Sure," Ellen agreed. "Just hurry back. Staying in a group seems wise today."

"Yeah, I'm sure that has nothing to do with me not being right there next to you," Jo muttered, but Dean had already pulled away, so Ellen missed it.

Sam and Ellen climbed out of the car and waited for Castiel to realize that maybe he should join them. As soon as the angel got out of the car and looked around, he saw the reapers. Hundreds of men in black suits, just waiting for...what? "There are reapers here."

"Reapers?" she asked. "How big does a job have to be if it needs more than one?"

"They gather at times of great crisis. I'm going to go see what they're waiting for."

He started to head into the invisible crowd, but Sam grabbed his jacket and held him back. "Didn't you hear what we just said? Staying in a group is a much better idea than going off alone today."

"I'll only be a few minutes," Castiel argued. "And we need to know what Lucifer is planning that involves so much death."

"Yeah, we do need to know that. But how does this not scream 'trap' to you? You just might be one of the few aces we've got. I'm sure Lucifer is just dying to get you away from us."

"Lucifer cannot compel the reapers to gather. They wouldn't obey his command. He could not have set a trap like this."

"But that doesn't mean he can't take advantage of it," Sam pressed.

"Sam's right," Ellen agreed. "We need you with us, today of all days. Finding out Lucifer's game plan will have to wait."

Castiel finally saw their point. He shrugged Sam's hand off of his shoulder, but he stayed put.

They didn't have to wait long before Dean and Jo returned with the news that the police station was just as empty as the rest of the town, and no clue had been left behind as to why.

"Well, here's a clue," Ellen told them, trying to subtly observe her daughter for any signs of molestation. It didn't work, and Jo interrupted.

"Come on, Mom, we're _working._ Mixing work and play like that is a good way to get ourselves killed."

"The clue," Ellen said loudly, "is that this town is chock-full of reapers. Cas can see them."

Dean raised an eyebrow. "And when you say chock-full..."

"Hundreds," Castiel supplied. "I wanted to investigate why they're here, but Sam stopped me. He thinks it may be a trap."

"Good thinking," Dean said to his brother.

"We should find somewhere to bunker down," Jo suggested. "Maybe staying out in the open isn't the best idea right now."

They all turned and began to walk down the street. Looking back, they'd realize how perfect the timing was. Meg waited until they were far enough from their cars, then got between them and their vehicles. She trapped them in the town.

"Shoulda stayed home, gang," she said.

All five of them turned to face her, weapons at the ready. Dean sighed when he saw her. He should have known. "Meg." He raised the Colt and aimed it at her head. "Just how many times do you think I'm going to have to get rid of you? Because really, it's starting to get old."

"Oh, I wouldn't do that, Dean. You don't think I was stupid enough to come alone, do you?"

That's when they heard the growling. Dean paled. "Hellhounds. My favorite."

Meg inclined her head toward one of the invisible dogs. "That one knows you."

"Bringing along the hellhound that killed Dean? Not the best way to get us to cooperate, Meg," Sam said, training his gun in the general direction of that particular monster.

"Well, I'd kinda prefer you didn't cooperate, Sam. Nothing would make my day brighter than to see these puppies rip the lot of you to shreds!" She said all of this with a sunny smile on her face. "Unfortunately, the big guy wants to see you, so you're being given the option of the easy way."

Dean looked at the people surrounding him. Finding and killing Lucifer was the point, of course, but the thought of doing it on the devil's terms and surrounded by the hounds of hell wasn't exactly ideal. He met and held Jo's eyes. She seemed torn, but she nodded. Then he looked to Castiel and mouthed 'Meg.' He didn't take the time to see if Castiel got the point. Instead, he turned back to her and gave her the widest and most confident smile he could manage. Then he shot the hellhound that she claimed had killed him.

After that, they were off running, trying their best to outrun the hellhounds and find decent shelter

Castiel was instantly at Meg's side, and he put his hand to her forehead to exorcise her. When nothing happened, she grinned at him. "Can't pull that trick anymore, can you? You're cut off from heaven, Castiel. Better luck next time."

He grimaced and flashed back to a hardware store near his companions. It was a little ahead of them, but there were useful things inside. They would only have to run a little farther. He opened the doors wide, but they weren't going to make it. Dean got pulled to the ground by the hounds.

Jo heard him hit the ground and immediately turned to fire on the beasts. "Jo, stay back!" Dean yelled, even as invisible jaws snapped near his face. Jo's second shot hit the hound on him. But she was too distracted to defend herself from the one that tackled her.

She screamed as the vicious dog tore into her stomach.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** Still not mine.

**Author's Notes:** Okay, first, I will say, in response to the reviews I got begging me not to kill of Jo...I will never ever kill off an important character without putting a character death warning on the fic. Mostly because I will stop reading a story immediately if a character I like gets ganked without a warning on it. And if the time ever does come for me to kill Jo, I wouldn't do it without having already planned some way to bring her back. That being said...this chapter took a _lot _out of me. A lot being the last six hours in which I should have been sleeping (why yes, I am typing this note at 5:23 AM) and more tears than I'd like to talk about, since I was listening to the song that inspired this story on repeat the whole time ("Give Me A Sign," by Breaking Benjamin, in case you're wondering). Anyway, this chapter, particularly the conversation between Sam and Dean, is the scene that I've been writing in my head for weeks. Basically the whole story thusfar grew out of this chapter. So PLEASE leave me a review and tell me if I did it right.

The Reason

Chapter Four

"NO!" Dean shouted, but it was too late, of course. He jumped up and ran to Jo, scooping her off the ground and running after the others. He hated to jostle her, knowing she was injured and he might make it worse, but since the other choice was being eaten alive, he thought a little jostling was the far better option. Sam and Ellen covered them, shooting everywhere that they even suspected a hellhound might be. He could hear Ellen screaming something, but he couldn't make it out over the rushing of blood in his ears.

Finally, they made it into the hardware store and Castiel pulled the doors shut behind them before Sam chained them shut. Then he grabbed some ice salt and spread it in front of all the doors and windows. Dean put Jo down, leaning her against the front counter. Ellen had already retrieved the first aid kit from underneath the counter, but one look at the wound told them they would need a hell of a lot more help than the meager kit could supply.

Dean looked desperately at Castiel. "Can you heal her?"

Castiel shook his head sadly. "All angels are given specific gifts. Healing isn't one of mine."

"Still friendly with anyone who can do it?" Sam asked. Ellen was pressing an Ace bandage to Jo's stomach, and Jo gasped in pain.

The angel wracked his brain, then finally said, "Anna was a healer."

"Then go get her!" Dean yelled.

"I have to find her. It might take some time."

"Then we'll keep her alive until you get back," Sam said, trying not to look worried. "Go!"

Castiel looked at Jo one more time, then met Dean's eyes. He nodded and disappeared.

"So much for not getting my blood on your hands, huh?" Jo asked Dean, smiling weakly.

Dean looked down. He was covered in her blood. "Oh yeah, that's great, Jo. I'm glad you recognize that now is a really good time to be cracking jokes."

"Humor in the face of overwhelming odds and death," she said, repeating her thoughts from that morning. "Winchester Rule Book, right? Just trying to fit in."

"Yeah, it's on page three," he joked back, but there was no humor in it. "But it's a stupid rule. We're getting it removed. This isn't funny at all."

Ellen moved Jo's hand to cover her own bandage so she could free up her hands. She grabbed a pen and paper from behind the counter and started scribbling out a list. "Boys, I'm gonna need you to get this stuff for me. You should be able to find all of it around here."

Dean took the list from her hand and looked it over. "Green paint and canned foam?" He squinted at the list just to make sure he got one of the items right. "Miracle grow? What is all this stuff for?"

"Healing spell," Ellen answered, but there was something else in her voice that Dean almost recognized. "It's dangerous, so I don't want to use it until we know Castiel is going to be too late. But I want to have it ready, just in case."

Sam grabbed the list from Dean and looked it over himself. "None of these really look like spell ingredients. Anyway, aren't almost all healing spells supposed to have aloe vera and..."

Before he could finish, Ellen fished out a small bag from her pocket and placed it on the counter. "I carry the harder to find stuff. You think I would let Jo hunt if I didn't have a few contingency plans to make sure she didn't get herself killed? As for the stuff on that list not being magical, some of the stuff they use to make it has magical properties. Just make sure to get the brands I wrote down."

Dean was ready to try anything to prevent Jo's death. He dropped to his knees by her side again. "Don't die on me, okay?"

Jo looked torn for a moment, then confessed, "I went to your grave when you were dead. Made Bobby tell me where it was. So I'm not gonna die, Dean. Because I wouldn't want to make you go through anything like that."

Despite her words, Dean couldn't ignore how weak her voice was. This was exactly why he hadn't wanted to hunt with her. He and Sam nearly got themselves killed to save the other at least once a week. Sometimes, they _did _get themselves killed. That's why most hunters worked alone. Now Jo was staring down the barrel, and it was because she'd stopped him from getting devoured by hellhounds. He leaned in and kissed her softly. "I'll be right back."

He stood up and started off down an aisle, calling back to Sam, "Come on. Grab a basket."

Sam followed behind him, picking up a basket from the front while looking down the list. There were seven items in total. In addition to whatever Ellen was carrying, that was a lot of ingredients. "Dean, whatever this spell is, it's going to be really complicated. I think."

"So?" Dean asked, looking over a wall for the correct brand of insulated wire. He found it and threw it into the basket. "It's not like we've never done complicated spells before. They're out of the right brand of green paint. Let's check the back."

When they got to the back, Sam quietly said, "I'm saying that spells this complicated have a really low success rate. And I got a good look at that wound, Dean. We don't have a whole lot of time." He paused, steeling himself for Dean's reaction. "I think Jo is going to die."

Dean didn't think. He just hauled back and punched Sam in the face. Sam stumbled back a few steps into a wall, then recovered quickly. He had almost expected that. He knew Dean would need to hit something. "She's not going to die," Dean nearly growled. Then he softened a bit and leaned against a work bench. There was defeat in his voice when he said, "Jo can't die, Sammy. She's the reason."

"The reason?" Sam repeated, confused.

"Yeah. _My _reason."

The younger Winchester was getting more confused by the second. But he took a stab at responding to whatever the hell Dean was talking about. "Well, then I don't think she's really doing her job, Dean, because you've never really been all that reasonable."

Dean shook his head. He dropped down onto a stool and put his head in his hands. "That's not what I'm talking about." He looked back at Sam. "Everybody needs a reason, Sam. In this terrible life, knowing that you've got a better chance of winning the lottery while being struck by lightning than living past forty as a hunter, you need a reason to keep going. _You_ fight for revenge. Not a big deal. It's hard to find a hunter who doesn't. You fight because of what they did to Jess, and Mom and Dad...hell, even our grandparents. Not to mention us. And I used to fight because of that too, but lately, it's been more because..." he trailed off.

"Now you fight for her?" Sam guessed.

"Jo fights pretty well for herself, actually," Dean said. "So not really. It's hard to explain. I fight so..." He took a few deep breaths, trying to find the right way to say what he meant. Finally, he said, "I fight so that maybe, someday, she and I can have half a chance without having to worry about something evil breaking down the door and eating us."

"Dean..." Sam was almost at a loss for words. "Are you saying...that you love her?"

He sighed. "I'm not saying anything."

Sam didn't buy that for a second. He saw the answer in the bleak look on his brother's face. "Dean...you have to tell her."

"Can't do that, Sammy."

"Why the hell not?" He'd always regretted not telling Jessica more often. To imagine never having told her was downright painful. "Now's really not the time to be stoic. I know the whole mysterious brooding hunter thing works for you, but what if..."

"I can't tell her, Sam," Dean cut him off. His voice was very quiet when he explained, "If I tell her now, I'll only ever have said it because she's dying." And with that, he was done talking. "We don't have time to hug and share our feelings. Now let's find that damn green paint."

They gathered the rest of the items on Ellen's list in near silence, then finally returned to the front to hand her the basket. Dean went straight to Jo and sat next to her, taking her hand. She didn't look too good. She was pale on a normal day, but now she looked like she'd had the color completely drained out of her. And he couldn't ignore that he was sitting about an inch away from a pool of her blood. "How you holding up?"

"Not good," she admitted. "Don't wanna worry you, but things are starting to go a little dark around the edges."

"Then it's time to get this spell started," Ellen said. "Sam, help me set up here."

Dean heard that thing in her voice again, and now he knew what it was. Of course, he'd seen and heard it before, from his father, his brother, even himself. Even his mother, back in the past. It was the sound of a person who was fixing to sacrifice themselves for someone they loved. He looked at Sam and he could tell that Sam heard it too. He silently begged Sam to start asking questions so he wouldn't have to. Who was he to try to stop Ellen from saving Jo? He himself had sent himself to hell to save his brother. And he thought it might kill him to argue against any plan that meant Jo would live.

"Ellen," Sam said. "What exactly is the cost of this spell? Magic always has consequences. What can we expect here? You said it was dangerous."

From the look on her face, he could tell that these were questions she'd been hoping he wouldn't ask. "The cost is ten years off the life expectancy of the caster. Me, in this case. If I live."

"If you live?" Jo asked. Her voice was faint, but they could hear the concern in it.

Ellen met her daughter's eyes. "Sam's right. Magic ain't free. I'm going to heal you by transferring your injuries to myself."


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: **Still not mine.

The Reason

Chapter Five

"Mom...no..." Jo started, but she started coughing, and the sound was wet and thick. It took her a minute to stop, and while she coughed, Ellen started to paint the symbols of the spell on the floor.

"Joanna Beth, you know better. You think I'm gonna just let you die, that I wouldn't pull out every damn stop I have to keep you alive? Maybe when you get out of here, you ought to have your head examined." Ellen looked around. "Damn, forgot red paint. Sam, go get me some red paint."

"Ellen..."

"Go!" she yelled. "You wanna argue with me, you can do it when you've gotten me my red paint. Won't do you any good either way, might as well accomplish something while you're at it."

Sam sighed. "What brand?"

"Don't matter in this case. Color's more important than ingredients this time." As soon as Sam left, she looked to Dean. "You gonna argue too?"

He shook his head. "Ellen, I sold my soul to save Sammy's life. Guess this is a better way of going about it. I wish it didn't have to be this way, but I understand sacrificing for your family. And I can tell when there's no use trying to talk somebody out of it."

Ellen nodded at him as understanding passed between them. "This will buy us a few minutes extra. When the wounds transfer to me, it will be like I just got them, so we'll have the extra time for me to get to where she is now. You take care of my baby if this goes bad and your angels can't get to me in time. You got that?"

"Mom, you can't put that on him," Jo argued. "You can't do this. I don't want you to."

"Dean?" Ellen pressed.

"Yeah. I got it." Jo glared at him and he kissed her hair. "I'm sorry," he told her. "But there's no stopping her. And I _can't_ lose you."

Sam returned with the paint then and set the can down, already opened, next to Ellen. "This isn't right."

"Lucifer walks free and my daughter is bleeding out. How is this any worse than that?"

"There's gotta be another way. What about another spell? Something where the cost isn't as high."

"Cost is so high because it's the most effective. None of those lesser spells I've got will help this close to the end. Anyway, look at the symbols, Sam. Not an evil symbol in the lot. This is the best, purest healing spell out there, and it doesn't even cost me my soul to use it. Just a few years and some extra scars."

Sam studied the symbols, and he could tell that she was right. This was pure healing magic, even if it did come with a high cost. "Fine. Then let me do it. I started this whole thing, anyway."

Before Dean could object, Ellen shot down the idea. "Wouldn't work. This magic only works in the same bloodline, Sam. Appreciate the offer though." She'd finished painting the symbols on the ground. Sam recognized the central symbol as Greek, and he guessed the outer designs were too. On either side of the large circular middle symbol were two smaller, simple circles, one in red, and one in green, like the rest of the design.

She used a knife pulled from her boot to cut a piece of dropcloth, then mopped up some of Jo's blood with it before dropping it into the green circle. She sprinkled several items in the bag of herbs she had. While she dropped the right herbs onto the bloody cloth, she muttered, "I pray to Asclepius to heal my daughter, and to Athena and Ares to see her as the warrior she is. I offer my own blood in the place of hers."

She cut another piece of drop cloth, then she drew a long, shallow cut along her arm and pressed the drop cloth to it, gathering her blood. Finally, after the cloth was almost entirely soaked in her blood, she dropped it into the red circle and sprinkled the last of her herbs on top. Before going any further, she went to Jo's side. "I love you, baby."

"I love you too, Mom," Jo replied. Her voice was very faint. She was fading fast.

Dean cringed and gripped her hand tighter. "You hold on, Jo. Just a few more minutes."

Ellen kissed her daughter's forehead, then returned to the spell. She took out a lighter and lit the piece of dropcloth with her blood on it.

The spell took effect immediately. Both Jo and Ellen screamed out in pain, so loud it left a ringing in the brothers' ears. Jo kept screaming as a soft glow surrounded her and her flesh knit itself back together All the blood she'd lost filled her veins, burning hot and alive, and her scream burst a blood vessel in her eye, which healed itself in a second. Ellen's screams were just as loud as she fell to the ground and felt her stomach ripped apart by hellhounds that weren't there. Her instinctual reaction was to try to pull away from the source of the pain, but of course, it wouldn't relent until the glow faded from Jo's skin.

Jo collapsed into Dean, breathing hard, as tears rolled down her face. Her hand automatically went to her stomach, only to find herself healed. All her blood was gone from the floor too, as if she had never been mauled at all. "Mom!" she cried out, scrambling to Ellen's side.

Ellen could have looked worse, all things considered. But of course, she had just been injured, so they had a little time before she would start to look as horrible as Jo had. Dean brought the ace bandage, once again miraculously spotless, and Ellen pressed it to her side. She struggled to sit up, and Jo and Dean helped her lean against the counter, where Jo had been minutes before.

"This is a lot worse than you made it sound, honey," Ellen said grimly. "You might have mentioned that you couldn't feel your legs."

"Would it have stopped you?" Jo asked, tears still in her eyes. "I would have told you if it would have stopped you. How could you do this, Mom?"

"Mother shouldn't have to bury her child," she answered. "It's unnatural. This way is better. Now, I got an idea for what to do if those angels don't show up in time. Least I can make myself useful one last time, if all else fails."

Jo shook her head and disappeared into the aisles of the store. Dean got up to go after her. "Alright, you tell Sam all about it, and I'll go try to explain to Jo why self-sacrifice is more popular than Furbies."

Dean found her by a large display of power tools. She looked up at his approach. She had been quietly crying. "I don't think I can do this, Dean. Watching her talk about the best way to help us out if she's going to die. Why would she do this?"

"Hey, you are talking to the expert in self-sacrifice here. My mom kind of did it to save my dad. My dad did it to save me. And I did it to save Sam. So I can tell you, the reasons are...well, they're mostly selfish. People sacrifice themselves because sometimes it's easier to die than to live without someone else. That state of mind...doesn't matter that they're leaving whoever it is behind without them to suffer through the same stuff. No real thought goes into it, and logic..." He shook his head. "Logic's gone the second you know someone you really love is dying."

"So now what am I supposed to do? Now someone _I _really love is dying, and we can't just keep switching places until the angels show up to save the day." Jo went to him and wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her head on his chest. "How do you do it, Dean? I don't understand how you lose so many people and keep going."

Dean swallowed hard. What could he tell her? That sometimes the only thing that kept him going was the possible future they might have? That was pretty heavy, especially since they'd agreed on not letting it get to that point yet. So he told her a very small part of the truth. "I do it because somebody has to. The angels kind of made a big deal about pointing out to me how I was always meant to be a hunter. So I do it because I don't have a choice. And because if no one fights, we'll lose. We might never win...but that's better than losing."

"And my mom?"

"My guess is she's trying to go out like a hunter. Whatever her plan is, she's trying to keep you alive. So I can't exactly be against it."

Jo sighed. "Okay. Let's go see what the hell she's thinking."

When they returned to Sam and Ellen, Sam's face was grim. He quickly summarized what Dean and Jo had missed. "I reached Bobby. He thinks Lucifer is trying to raise Death. As in the horseman. And Ellen wants to build a bomb, let the hellhounds in, wait for us to escape, and then blow it all to hell to give us a way out."

"Mom, are you _crazy?_" Jo yelled, going to her mother's side.

"No, honey, what I am is fading. Fast. And you and I both know the important thing here is killing Lucifer. You three will never even get to him if we don't do _something _to distract those hounds." Ellen grabbed Jo's hand and squeezed it hard. "If you've got another idea, I'd love to hear it. But if we do nothing and I die, you three are still trapped here, and I'm still dead. If I'm gonna go either way, I'd rather take a few of those bastards with me and give you a snowball's chance."

Jo studied her mother for a long moment. Even though she thought it might kill her to say it, she looked at Sam and Dean. "Do it. In case the angels are late."

Sam and Dean built the bomb. It was crude and simple, but it would be _very_ efficient. Small canisters of propane were placed in buckets of salt and iron nails. They made as many of these buckets as they could fill, then wired them all together and hooked the whole contraption up to a doorbell. They gave the doorbell to Ellen.

Anna and Castiel materialized in the store. "Sorry it took so long," Castiel said. "She was in an angelic lockdown. It was not easy to break her out."

"Finally," Jo said. She backed away from Ellen as Anna approached. "Five more minutes and we were going to have to resort to suicide bombing."

Castiel looked at Jo, surprised. "You seem better. Injury transference?"

"It wasn't my call," she said quietly.

"I can't heal her," Anna said suddenly. "She's too injured. I can heal her a little, but I'm cut off from Heaven too, and the wound is just too big. Maybe if she'd been stabbed..."

"What are you saying?" Jo asked. "You can give her a few extra minutes, but not enough to get her to a hospital or something?"

"Honey," Ellen rasped. "It's okay. The important thing here is killing the devil. So we go with Plan B."

"No!" Jo cried.

"No," Anna agreed. "Yes, I can buy her a few extra minutes. And I'll teleport her to the nearest hospital. They'll be able to do more for her than I can. With a hospital's treatment, she'll almost certainly recover."

She laid her hands on Ellen, and the older woman violently jolted. Immediately, there was more color in her cheeks, and her grimace was slightly less severe. Her leg twitched.

"Say your goodbyes quickly. She still needs a doctor," Anna said, going back to stand by Castiel. She was visibly drained, as if the small bit of healing she'd done had taken a lot out of her.

Jo went back to her mother and hugged her while Dean studied the two rogue angels. "So what's the deal? How come she can do the minor league healing and you can't?" he asked.

"Healing was my specialty. It was my most developed power, so I retained it. I was also higher up in the celestial order than Castiel was," Anna answered. "Good to see you too, Dean." She looked over at Jo, observing her for a moment. "So I take it that is the legendary Jo Harvelle?"

"How do you know who she is?" Sam asked.

She shrugged. "I had some downtime, so I read the books. I'm glad you two finally found each other. She'll be a great help to you in the days to come."

"And I'm guessing you don't want to elaborate on that?" Dean asked.

Anna smiled. "Of course not. Anyway, time runs short. I need to get Ellen out of here and into a hospital if she's going to make it. I'll stay there and help her as much as I can."

Once again, Jo backed away as Anna approached. The redhead looked around and met the eyes of everyone there. "Good luck," she said.

"Kick it in the ass for me," Ellen added. "And I'll see you lot after. Celebratory drinks on me." She smiled, and she and Anna disappeared.

Jo was shaken, but she struggled past it and joined the other three. "Okay, so what now? Cas, can you just zap us to...where did Bobby say he was going to be?"

"William Jasper's farm," Sam supplied.

"Yeah. There."

"No," Castiel replied. "I could, but...the hellhounds are still after us, and it won't take them long to run there if they know you're out. You said something about a bomb?"

"Yeah," Sam answered. "Ellen was going to wait for us to get to the roof and over to the next building, and then let the hounds in and blow them all to hell, herself with them."

The angel nodded. "It was a good plan. Noble. I like it." He looked at the three hunters. "You three escape. I'll blow the bomb."


End file.
